Vampire Slayer Kurogane
by xynad
Summary: Kurogane swore with his life to kill every vampire he would ever hear of to avenge his family, and nothing will ever come his way. Nothing. No one. But when he meets a certain man who turns all the tables around, what will he choose? KuroFai AU.
1. On commence

**A/N: **A new fic, my first time writing an AU, and I don't know if this will work. Whew. Well, I need to write something. I've been gone for quite long.

**Disclaimer: **TRC definitely isn't mine. Only the plot is.

**0o0o**

"Stop moving Kurogane! You're only making it worse!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she sat on the wooden stool beside Kurogane, bandaging the man's wounded upper left arm.

"I've already told you countless of times, you're the one making it worse! Why do you have to fuss all over me when all I have is this stupid scrape? Che. It doesn't even hurt," Kurogane muttered, moving his left arm away from Tomoyo's grasp.

"This will sting a bit," Tomoyo muttered in response, not at all paying attention to Kurogane's complaint.

"I already told you i-AHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"I told you it would sting, but you wouldn't listen," Tomoyo replied, her smile gleaming evidently on the reflection of the bottle of alcohol she had just used to disinfect Kurogane's wounds.

"What happened, Tomoyo-hime? Was there an intruder? Why did I hear Kurogane-san shout?" Syaoran asked, suddenly popping out of nowhere.

"There was no one, kid. And you must have been hallucinating because I didn't shout. Back to practice," Kurogane ordered, to which the kid easily blushed, exited the room and did as Kurogane told.

"Aren't you a bit too harsh on Syaoran-kun?" Tomoyo asked.

Kurogane shrugged the question off.

It took a few seconds for Kurogane to regain his composure. It was embarrassing, really, for a man of his reputation to be shouting at the top of his lungs just because some solution or whatever the hell it was that this tiny girl applied on his wound stung. To top it all off, his apprentice, the kid Syaoran, heard it and went immediately to check on him.

He was a vampire slayer, for Pete's sake.

He was the famous vampire slayer Kurogane.

Just what in the world would the vampires say if they knew that the slayer who seemed to have no weakness at all screams like a lady upon contact with seventy percent isopropyl alcohol? It just didn't suit him. Not at all.

Add the fact that Tomoyo wasn't helping to make matters light. There she was, the culprit; and yet she had the guts to laugh. There were actually times when Kurogane 

meditated whatever it was that made him enter her service. She looked like a princess, she acted like a princess, but she was in every way a witch. Especially when she laughed, that 'oh-ho-ho' evil laughter could rival that of any witch and was enough to drive him out of his sanity.

And she was doing it now.

"You shouldn't have brawled with that drunken man last night, Kurogane. Your job is to hunt down vampires, not drunks,"

"I know that. Quit the lecture. I'm going to bed. You should go too, Hime," Kurogane said seriously.

"Yes, you should. Those wounds must heal before they get worse," Tomoyo said once she stopped laughing.

"Stop nagging. Go to bed,"

"Okay. Goodnight, Kurogane,"

"G'night".

**0o0o**

"We're leaving now, Tomoyo-hime," Syaoran said, bowing politely before the girl in front of them.

"Take care, my slayers," she said as the two of her best warriors went their way.

It was yet another night. And it was only during the night in which Princess Tomoyo's bodyguards turned into slayers. Princess Tomoyo was not an actual princess. She was in fact, as ordinary as any girl can be. The only difference, aside from her royal bearing, was that she was the sole survivor of a once famous family of slayers who died in line of duty. She was left with everything, but with nobody.

Kurogane was the only son of a slayer family who died along with Tomoyo's parents. His family was but a mere underling of the so called 'royal slayer family' and thus, when his parents died, he swore all loyalty under Tomoyo, calling her his princess and promising to serve her with all of his remaining life.

Syaoran, on the other hand, was an orphan rescued by Kurogane from the hands of a one-man syndicate. Seeing the child's potential, Kurogane trained him under his wing and became his apprentice.

It was a windy night outside, and both Kurogane and Syaoran walked in the streets with their hands in their coats. The streets were dark, as the light from the street posts were dim and blurry.

"Where was he last seen?" Kurogane asked his apprentice in a hushed voice.

"Along Rue de Bernarde. But that was two nights ago, Kurogane-san. It's impossible for him to stay in one place,"

"I know."

"And the murders are getting bigger in number. We need to catch him before the real reason of all the killings is revealed."

"People are stupid. They won't believe that vampires do exist even though the evidence is right before their very eyes. They would seek scientific proof before they believe any of these craps anyway."

"But, Kurogane-san… Just in case they start to believe?"

"They won't."

That settled the issue and they continued walking with heightened attention to anything out of the ordinary or suspicious. Two, three hours of patrolling came and went, but just like the two previous nights, the vampire evaded them.

"This is stupid."

Syaoran felt the irritation rise in his master's voice, but he was too used to it to be bothered now. Besides, he was thankful that they didn't encounter a single vampire for a good few months. The last time they had battled and killed one a few months back, both of them have been gravely wounded and it took them a few weeks to recuperate.

It wasn't until the fifth hour of patrolling that Kurogane decided to head back to the cottage which served as their headquarters. Syaoran meekly followed him, thoughts of Tomoyo-hime's new assistant flooding his mind. He was so absorbed in his own fantasies that he bumped into Kurogane's sturdy back, not realizing that the other had stopped in his tracks.

"Kurogane-san?"

Kurogane motioned for him to be quiet as he pointed to something resembling a shadow near the entrance of a sewer. Upon closer look, Syaoran realized that it was indeed, a shadow.

"Could he be…?"

He followed Kurogane walk slowly, slowly into the entrance of a tower. And there, lying on the pavement was a thin, young man with a mop of unkempt blonde hair covering his closed eyes. And he was wearing very thin clothing at this weather.

"Not a vampire," Kurogane muttered.

"Is he dead?"

Kurogane knelt closer and examined the man very carefully.

"No. He's just drunk,"

"Who is drunk?" the man suddenly spoke. His eyes opened very slowly, as if the very act was a struggle, and then a huge grin crept on his face.

"You are, stupid." Kurogane retorted, not at all amused by the man.

"I am not 'drunk'. I am Fai. You are?"

"Why the hell should I tell you who I am? Come on, kid. We're wasting our time." Kurogane said, as he began to stand up.

"But, Kurogane-san. We can't just leave him here," Syaoran protested, having pity on the man's state.

"Yes, yes. There you go. Thank you…?"

"My name is Syaoran, sir."

"Yes. Thank you, Syaoran. See? I am not drunk, Kuronesan. I am Fai. Will you let me come to your house? Ne? Kuronesan?"

"It's Kurogane! Not Kurone! And no, you can't!"

"Kuronesan is a mean guy. He is." The drunk man, Fai, said, pouting.

"Let's go, kid." Kurogane commanded, his anger already reaching boiling point. There was no way in hell he would bring a drunk home.

He began to walk a few steps and he turned around to see if Syaoran was following him. But the boy wasn't. In fact, he was now beside the drunk, rubbing the drunk's back who now seemed to be puking his guts out.

"Oi, kid! I said let's go!"

"I… I can't leave him here, Kurogane-san! He's obviously suffering. We should take him home and give him shelter for the night," the boy called over to him.

"Fine. Do whatever you want!" Again, he walked a few steps, confident this time that the boy followed for he gave a threat. But looking back, the boy didn't even move from his place beside the wretched man.

"What the hell."

**0o0o**

"I'm sorry, Kurogane-san! It's just that it really bothers me to think what would happen to Fai-san if we left him alone down in the sewers. He could easily be the next victim. Besides, Tomoyo-hime would do the same if-"

"I know. Shut up."

Kurogane knew exactly what Tomoyo-hime would do in the given situation and he wouldn't like to hear her nag again. That was the only reason why he agreed to take this drunken man home on his back. That was the sole reason. Nothing else.

"Kuronesan is a kind, kind man! Lalalala!" Fai sang at the top of his voice from Kurogane's back.

"Shut up or I'll put you down!"

"Kuronesan is a good, good man! Tralalala!"

"I said shut up! And stop mutilating my name!"

"Kuronesan! Tralalalalalalaaaaaaa!"


	2. Le rendezvous

A/N: It took me quite a while to finish and this chapter's a real pain. It's like some tooth being forced out. Syaoran's a bit OOC in this story because I couldn't think of anyone suitable to be Kuro's apprentice better than him. Sorry about that. I am still trying to establish their relationships, so there won't be lots of action yet.

0o0o0o

"You really do have a penchant for building relationships with drunken men, ne Kurogane? Just last night you had a brawl with a drunk, and now this?" Tomoyo teased as soon as she opened the door of the cottage and saw Syaoran and Kurogane with a stranger on his back.

It was easy to tell that the stranger was drunk even though he was fast asleep. For one thing, the man reeked of alcohol. Another, the man's cheeks were flushed which was plain weird in contrast with his complexion.

"Hime, please do not blame Kurogane-san! I was the one who told him to bring Fai-san home. He was heavily intoxicated and since there is a vampire roaming around the streets murdering civilians, I thought Fai-san would easily be a target. Please, Hime!" Syaoran pleaded, bowing ever so lowly in front of the small girl.

"No need to do that, Syaoran-kun. I know how clean your intentions are. He could stay here until he is well and sober enough. Besides, you know I would have done the same," Tomoyo said, not really looking at Syaoran but at Kurogane, winking wickedly at him.

"Thank you, Hime."

"Don't mention it, Syaoran-kun. By the way, was Kurogane participative in helping this poor soul?"

Syaoran looked at Kurogane, and immediately gulped upon seeing his master's fierce expression. To tell or not to tell?

"Ah… errrr.. he…"

"Of course, I wasn't. Why the hell would I be?"

A breath of relief escaped the boy's lips that his master had just saved his life by answering the question himself. He was afraid that he was in a damn-if-you-do-damn-if-you-don't situation. And even though this situation has happened twice too many times already, and Kurogane hadn't done him anything in the past, Syaoran felt that he would never be able to get used to it.

"Oh, is that so? Then why are you carrying Mr. Drunk on your back?" Tomoyo retorted as she closed the door behind them, hiding her suppressed evil laughter lest Kurogane decides to unload his burden out of embarrassment.

"What has that got to do with anything?!"

"Oh ho ho ho!" Tomoyo's laughter rang throughout the cottage.

Kurogane shrugged. The witch was teasing him again. She knew that he hated having to show compassion towards other people, and he had just shown it by carrying the stupid drunk on his back. God knows how much he resented the idea, but what the hell could be done? The man was too tall for the boy to carry and since there wasn't anyone else then there wasn't really a choice.

He began to walk inside the cottage as soon as Tomoyo shut the door. There was already food served on their stone table and the small cottage was already squeaky clean. He was almost walking towards the rooms when he realized that they only have three rooms, just enough for the three of them. Sakura, Tomoyo's new assistant, sleeps in the princess' rooms so he didn't have any place for the new guy. He decided on the only available option.

Kurogane put the sleeping man on the couch. Really, this was entirely the boy's fault. The boy's fault and he was the one who had to endure the witch's teasing. He shot the boy a dagger look to which the boy immediately excused himself.

"How very childish of you to look at Syaoran-kun like that!" Tomoyo said as she knelt down beside the couch, checking the drunken man for injuries.

"I give everybody that look. What's wrong with that?" he replied, to which Tomoyo just laughed.

"Anyway, where did you find him? What's his name?"

"Down in the sewers. I think his name's Fai or something."

"Weird name. And he has blond hair. He must be a foreigner."

"Who cares."

A few minutes of silence passed with Tomoyo still beside the couch and Kurogane standing over them. He was deep in thought because he could barely comprehend whatever it was with Tomoyo that had that helpful streak that she seemed to have passed on to Syaoran and even to her new assistant. It made him feel out of place. But he never really had too much time to think about it. He was a slayer anyway, and he had every reason to defy mercy.

"I don't think it's a very good idea to have him sleep on the couch," Tomoyo commented when she stood up from her place.

"Why?"

"Well, we must anticipate the hang-over. I mean he wouldn't be very comfortable here,"

"But there aren't enough rooms!"

"That's fine! He could use mine."

"No way."

"It's really okay, Kurogane. Go to sleep. You must be tired."

"Che. Fine. He'll sleep in my bed tonight."

Kurogane lifted the drunk on his shoulders and made his way to his room, cursing under his breath all the while, doing so before the princess could insist on hosting the guest for tonight. There was no way in hell this wretched drunk would take over the princess' bed. He was about to close the door of his room when Tomoyo called out.

"Kurogane?"

"What?" he replied irritably.

"You're a good man, you know."

"Whatever."

0o0o0o

A morning in Nihon could be described by one word: peaceful. When one gets up a few minutes after the sun had risen, he would hear the soft whisper of the breeze, and as if the very whisper was a song, all the birds would gather into groups among the roofs of the houses and sometimes, Kurogane would even find nests on their cottage's roof. And then the songs of the birds would come, waking up the whole city with their melody. And slowly, as if on cue, the rays of the sun would scatter all around the city, its limbs embracing every living and non living thing alike, its' embrace endowing energy for the long day ahead that one who was deep in slumber would find it hard to ignore waking up. The sun's rays were warm, but never too warm. And it was this time of the day that Kurogane loved the most.

Kurogane always woke up early no matter how late he had slept the night before because he loved seeing the morning's wondrous miracle transpire right before his very eyes. He would open the window and watch the sunrise through it everyday. He knew he was fortunate because he wakes up to a peaceful morning everyday of his life.

"Kuroneeesan!"

Or not.

Apparently, this morning was an exception. Aside from the fact that he haven't had a comfortable sleep because his bed was occupied by the stupid man, never had it happened before that anyone got in his way in welcoming the sunrise through his windows. Never. Because nobody ever dared. Because they all knew he loved the mornings. And obviously, here was someone who didn't know the _rules._

He instantly knew that this guy was standing in front of his window because he couldn't feel the breeze. How dare him!

"Kuroneeechan! The sun's about to rise! Hurry, wake up!"

And to hell with him. Who was he to wake him up? He had his own alarm clock, and his circadian rhythm had already taught him to wake up a good five minutes before sunrise, no matter what time it falls.

"Kuro-tan! Wake up!"

The more he heard that command, the more he didn't want to open his eyes and he felt that he would be missing the sunrise for the first time in his life. He was debating whether to open his eyes and see the morning's usual splendor and face the nightmares the new guy would bring for the day (since he would only be spending the day, he'll make sure of it!), or continue feigning sleep for the rest of the day to avoid the annoying man and miss the sunrise instead.

But he couldn't miss the sunrise. Nothing's worth missing it.

And so, deciding upon what to do, Kurogane opened his eyes.

And instantly regretted it.

"Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" the annoying pale man sang as he stood aside from the window and pulled the curtains up until not a fiber or thread was seen, not at all like he does (he only parts the curtains open).

Kurogane was surprised with what he saw, but took great efforts into hiding whatever surprise might erupt into his otherwise gruff expression. He had always done a routine, parting the curtains slightly open to see the sunrise, but he had never pulled them up as this man had. The view was like a thousand times magnified and as much as he wanted to go near the window, he wouldn't. Not as long as this man was standing there.

"Amazing view you've got here! And look at how warm it is!"

"What the hell are you still doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be out already?"

"Why should I be out?" Fai said, bending over Kurogane with his hands on his waist.

Kurogane stood up from the couch and faced Fai.

"You drunk! You're supposed to be thanking me for saving your ass last night!" he growled in annoyance.

"I am not drunk. I am Fai! Haven't I made that clear last night, Kuronesan?"

"And I am not Kuronesan! My name is Kurogane! Haven't I made that clear last night as well?" he retorted.

"Why are you so uptight, Kuro-tan?" Fai purred, climbing unto his back.

"Argh! Get away from me, you freak!"

"But you did this to me last night! What difference would it make if you do it again?"

"Last night was different. And mind you, I didn't want to do it either! Hey, aren't you supposed to get a hangover or something? And how come you seem to remember everything, even my name?"

"Hang over? Nah. I'm too strong for that! And well, I wasn't that drunk, as I've told you."

"Then that was all an act?"

"Not really. I think I passed out," –Fai climbed unto his back successfully- "here. On your back!" he continued, his head rubbing Kurogane's back.

"I shouldn't have given you my bed! You idiot!"

"Fai? How am I supposed to- Oh!" Tomoyo stopped speaking upon seeing Fai on Kurogane's back.

"Hime? You've been talking to this man? Not you!" Kurogane stared in surprise.

"I have. We've already done some bonding as well!" Tomoyo replied.

"Hi, Tomoyo-hime! We were just reenacting last night's event as you told them to me!" Fai said, waving to the girl who seemed dumbstruck at first.

"Oh? How nice of Kurogane to join you!"

"I am not joining his stupid game! I don't even know this man! Throw him away, hime!"

"That's mean, Kuro-chan! Why should you throw me away?" Fai pouted and stopped rubbing his head on Kurogane's back.

"I don't think we'll do that just yet. Fai might prove to be very helpful especially in the kitchen. We were just making chocolate fondants right now. You should taste them, Kurogane! They're heaven!" Tomoyo said dreamily.

It was Kurogane's turn to be dumbstruck. This annoying, pestering man would be staying. That fact revolved around his head.

_Goodbye, sweet sunrise._

"Have you finished everything, hime?" Fai asked.

"Not yet. That was exactly what I was here for but I guess I'm interrupting you guys. I'll just wait for you downstairs then," she said, winking again before she turned on her heels and went.

"Ah, hime! No! Don't leave me!"

Fai slowly climbed down from Kurogane's back, noticing how stiff the man turned out to be after Tomoyo left. He laughed.

"I'll go down to help Tomoyo-hime then,"

"Idiot."

"Ne Kuro-tan?"

"……"

"You really are a good, good man."

Kurogane stared blankly at the door after Fai closed it. He thought he had just broken a record. It was rare for people to call him _nice_ but he had just been called _good_ twice. In less than twenty-four hours even. He turned to his closet to change.

_Hell._

_I must be really getting soft._

0o0o0o

A/N2: That's it for chapter2. Read and review, tout le monde! I hope to see you around for the upcoming chapters.


	3. Le Petit Ouji

**A/N: **I am such a slow updater. Mainly because I still can't see the ending of this story clearly yet, and partly because I am getting addicted to Hunter X Hunter all over again! This chapter's title, by the way, is named after the nickname of Togashi-san and Takeuchi-san's boy. I just found the Japanese-French combination amusing so I used it here.

0o0o0o

"Welcome to the Little Prince Café!"

Kurogane was sure, so sure that he would bet his life on it, that if he would not be having LSS (Last _statement_ syndrome) by the end of the day, he would give thanks to all the deities for all eternity. That stupid sentence has been uttered by the stupid people of the stupid cottage almost every freaking ten stupid minutes whenever the door opened, the wind chime sang, and people from all ages went inside the newly transformed café to either take a peek or have a bite, that he planned so many times to head back to his room to have a little moment of peace and quiet, but Princess Tomoyo dragged him back whenever he took even a single step away from her.

It was their first day on business. They managed to open a small café, which the princess decided to call Little Prince because it was her favorite story of all time. Their once plain cottage was transformed and morphed into a stylish café, complete with comfortable seats, coffee tables and a small bar. Fai, of course, had been assigned in the kitchen because he was head chef and coffee brewer with his cooking skills. Syaoran was made his assistant because ironic as it may seem, he had the gracefulness required far more than Sakura and Tomoyo could ever compare with. Sakura, on the other hand, was made waitress because she was very charming and people usually doubled their order just to see her. And so, Tomoyo (because she wanted to and because she was princess) and Kurogane (God knows why) were the ones who stood near the door, greeting every customer with sunshine bright smiles. Kurogane couldn't quite seem to do the 'sunshine bright smile' so Tomoyo would step on his foot every time just so he would do it.

As if that wasn't enough, the drunken man suggested they wear uniforms. Again, the assistant and the princess were very thrilled with the prospect that right away, Tomoyo took out her sewing tools, took everyone's measurements and began to create the café's uniform with unnerving ease. The result was a disaster to Kurogane's taste of course. Why the heck should a vampire slayer like him wear a pink _bowtie_ on his neck? It was just absurd.

It was inevitable and he should have trusted his instinct that something like this would happen, and yet he let the stupid drunken man 'stay for as long as he would like' as the princess coined it, because he knew that the princess was bored even though she never mentioned anything about it. He knew that she needed company aside from her assistant, Sakura, and Fai proved to be one heck of a company because Kurogane saw that he made the princess smile all the time. And so, he agreed even though he knew 

that he would be sharing his room from then on, that he would have to say goodbye to Nihon's sunrise and that whatever concept of privacy he had would be thrown to the recycle bin.

It was past eight in the evening when they decided to close the café down, much to Kurogane's relief.

"That was a very long day we had!" exclaimed the blushing Sakura who was now sitting in one of the sofas across Syaoran, who was fanning her.

"It sure was. And look. We have enough money to last us a whole week!" Tomoyo exclaimed, fanning herself with the money.

"As if we need any more money," grumbled Kurogane.

"You don't want it? You can always give them to me, Kuro-pupu. I am a very poor man," Fai said, smiling.

Kurogane simply raised his eyebrows at him.

"Why don't we do a little celebration? There's still enough food for everyone and there's wine on the corner of Tenth Street. Kurogane, could you buy the wine for us?" the princess said, obviously excited with the idea.

"Alright."

"I'll go with Kuro-pon! I want to go sight seeing!" piped Fai, raising his right hand as if expecting Tomoyo to call him for an answer.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Fai-kun? Aren't you tired from all the cooking and brewing you've done for today?" Tomoyo asked him.

"Not the least bit, Hime. Oh, there goes Kuro-chan! We'll be back soon! Please wait for us!" and Fai ran to follow Kurogane, seeing that the taller man wouldn't even bother waiting for him.

0o0o0o

"Why do you carry that sword of yours all the time, Kuronesan?"

"Why do you care?!"

"That's mean. I was just asking!"

Kurogane sighed. He wasn't really in the mood to tell the story of his life to the annoying man who somehow managed to chase him even though he began running at breakneck speed just to avoid him. These past weeks had disturbed his blood pressure and he felt that he would explode with the blonde man's nosiness anytime. This was exactly one of those moments. He took a deep breath, keeping in mind that he must only kill vampires, not annoying blond men named Fai.

"Alright! I am a vampire slayer. I can't just go walking around unarmed. Got that? That's why I have Souhi here all the time."

"Souhi?"

"Yeah. My sword. Souhi."

"Oh. Souhi. Souhi. Nice name. Can I touch her?"

"The hell you can't!"

"Awww… why not?"

Kurogane walked on faster, with Fai catching up with his fast pace. Really, he had to learn a lot about patience, and Princess Tomoyo, the only person he hoped could teach him, proved to be useless because she has recently become Fai's accomplice in making his blood boil.

"What about you? You said you were a poor man."

"I am."

"You live here?"

"I don't."

"Then why are you here?"

"I ran."

"Ran? What are you, a child?"

"I guess."

"Why are you silent all of a sudden?"

"I am silent?" Fai asked, tilting his head as if to ask Kurogane if he was alright.

"I was asking about you, and all you said was I am or am not. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing."

"Tired?"

At this, Fai looked up at him. Kurogane tried to read what went on inside the other's head, but felt that there was something blocking him. As if the blond man was in fact blocking anything that might help Kurogane understand.

"Yeah! Just that! Now let me ride your back, so we can get the wine faster!" And upon saying this, his lanky hands leeched their way around Kurogane's arm, and the chase began again.

Fai, however, despite his lithe frame and seemingly fragile body structure, was a fast runner and Kurogane had a hard time evading him. He was surprised, however, when Fai suddenly pulled his arm, covered his mouth and dragged him towards a corner and hid themselves.

"A vampire is approaching." Fai said in a whisper as he dropped the hand that covered Kurogane's mouth.

For a moment, Kurogane looked at him as if he was a lunatic, raving nonsensical things. Or was this just another prank? If a vampire was around, surely, he would sense it. But he felt nothing. He was about to rant, but the look in Fai's eyes stopped him and he decided to wait a while longer. And surely enough, merely three seconds after he decided on waiting, he felt it. He felt the presence of a vampire.

It felt weird, all the time. And even though he had been a slayer ever since he was a child, he felt that he could never get used to the feeling he got whenever a vampire was near. He always feels heavy, as if there was a generous amount of lead pumped inside him. It isn't fear though, that he is sure of. His senses become sharper, especially when the vampire around has just fed. His blood boils, and he has a tingling sensation in his fingers, as if they told him to move, to move now, to never let a single moment go to waste, because a moment lost might be his last.

"Stay here."

"Will you be--"

"Just stay put. Don't move. Promise me you won't move!"

"O..Ok."

Surveying the surrounding and seeing that no one was around except the vampire who was then fast approaching their hiding place, Kurogane then stepped out of the dark, took Souhi out of her sheath and walked, meeting the vampire midway.

Contrary to the myths and folklores, vampires do not wear those ridiculous black capes. Nor were they fans of the usual tux with which vampires were usually seen on film. In fact, the vampire standing across Kurogane would pass as a normal person anytime. He looked young, probably no older than Kurogane himself. He was wearing a school uniform, and even had a bag to go with it. In fact, if not for his fangs, unusual pallor and overwhelming beauty which every vampire possesses, no one would think he was the culprit that he and Syaoran had been hunting for weeks.

Normally, Kurogane would play victim, tempting the vampires to go near him, to think of him as a civilian, after all, vampires could never tell who was out to kill them.

Despite their heightened senses, they did not have slayer repellants and were as vulnerable to be killed by disguised slayers as much as slayers were vulnerable to be killed during duty. But this was no ordinary circumstance and so he had his Souhi drawn as soon as he stepped out. He did not want Fai to witness this, so he would make it as quick as possible. He feared that the blond man might be scarred for life that was why he faced the opponent directly.

As soon as Kurogane was halfway, the vampire leapt back a few steps, eyes suddenly wary, and locked his gaze on Kurogane. Before the slayer could make a stance, the vampire attacked, his hands slashing as if they were daggers, but Kurogane gracefully avoided every move. They danced to a rhythm, the vampire slashing, and Kurogane taking a step backwards, backwards, backwards, until he realized that they were too near the spot where he told Fai to stay put. And then it struck him that the vampire's real target was Fai, and not himself, though whatever it was that he smelled that he preferred Fai to a slayer like him, he would never know.

And so, he stopped leaping back. But that infinitesimal moment of inaction proved to be a grave mistake because as soon as he stopped, the vampire slashed at his left shoulder, and before he could even mutter a gasp at the sharp pain that took over it, the vampire grabbed him by the neck with such an ease as if he didn't weigh anything, lifted him off the ground, and threw him back on the wall opposite Fai's hiding spot very fiercely that he almost lost his balance and he could have hit his head, if not for his timely somersault, making him land on his feet safely.

As he was regaining his balance, he saw the vampire walking slowly towards Fai, pale hands reaching out to touch him, to feed on him, to give him the vampire's kiss. Yet Fai obeyed him, the idiot. He was not moving from his place, like he had ordered, when in fact now should be the time for him to be rebellious. The vampire then reached Fai, and in the darkness he saw the vampire's cold hands envelop themselves around the blond man's thin neck, and the blond, the idiot of a blond, just stood there. Not moving.

Seething with rage, Kurogane charged, running as fast as his feet could carry him to cross the small distance between him and Fai's impending death. He guessed he could call it luck that the vampire was too engrossed in Fai's beauty that he managed to let his guard down, or perhaps the vampire underestimated him and thought him to be unconscious that he stood with his back to Kurogane. It was this tiny flaw that Kurogane used to his advantage, for he drove Souhi deep into the vampire's chest, making sure to damage the heart. He pushed Souhi deeper, until he felt the end of the sword making its way out of the now bleeding body. Slowly, the vampire's hands slid down from Fai's neck.

As soon as the vampire was on the ground, bleeding profusely, and as soon as Kurogane was sure had done enough damage to the heart that the vampire would not be able to move anymore, he approached Fai.

"Are you okay? Were you hurt?"

"Kuro-sama, your left shoulder is bleeding."

"Oy. Answer me."

"Here, let me bandage your--"

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT? ANSWER ME, YOU IDIOT!"

Fai looked at him straight in the eyes for the second time that night, and Kurogane could not understand why he was short circuiting all of a sudden. There was just something weird behind all this, but what that was, he couldn't quite fathom. Fai suddenly looked down, and for a moment, that expression, the one he had worn before they encountered the now dead vampire, came back. And again, it was quickly masked by the grin which became even wider now.

"Yes. No harm done! You were very great, Kuro-chan! I didn't know just a sword could do this much damage to a vampire,"

"Che. Souhi isn't 'just a sword'. She isn't made of steel. She is pure silver."

"Silver? So what?"

"Idiot. Silver is considered one of the purest metals, and only the purest can harm these creatures."

"Oh.. but let's not talk now. Let me bandage your wound, Kuro-chi!"

"Later. There's still something I need to do."

As if to emphasize his statement, Kurogane knelt down beside the vampire's body, took the lighter out of his pocket, tipped the end of it so that a few amount of gas poured on the creature's clothes and clicked the other end of the lighter on the exact place, setting the corpse on fire. They waited a few minutes more before Fai said that the smell made him slightly lightheaded, and so they walked back to the cottage, leaving the body to burn into ashes, and completely forgetting about the wine.

"I'm being stalked." Fai said, suddenly stopping.

"What? By whom?"

"Vampires. That's why I ran away."

"Why?"

No answer. Kurogane sort of expected Fai to be afraid, especially on account of what had just happened. Yet there wasn't anything to his face aside from the lopsided grin. He wasn't sure if he believed it completely, but judging by the way the vampire from a while ago looked at Fai, as if he knew something that Kurogane did not, Kurogane knew that there was indeed something that Fai hadn't told him yet.

And it seemed he wasn't interested to tell the rest of the story.

Not now. Not ever.

Fai was smiling. As if he was watching a child with his gentle but troubled eyes. And with the way Kurogane was thinking, he might have looked like a child who deserved those eyes. He shrugged.

"If you don't want to answer, that's fine. Just know that I am not a vampire slayer for nothing."

And he walked ahead, leaving Fai wondering about what he had just said.

0o0o0o

**A/N: **Hooray! You've made it this far! Thank you for reading! Free cookies in the review room!


	4. Le soir tombe

**A/N: **I actually made two drafts of this chapter, but the first one didn't please me so I rewrote the whole thing, thus the lack of update. And I think I might need a beta now. Sniff. Anyway, I want to thank all my dear reviewers. I love you guys soooo much! The conflict would begin in the upcoming chapters so I hope you could hang on till then. It's just that there are a lot of things I still have to tackle before I get to it. And so as not to confuse, the first part of this chapter is sort of a flashback. On with the show!

**0o0o0o**

When he was 13, he wanted to be a slayer because it was the coolest job in the world.

Just imagine. He gets to choose whatever outfit he wants and nobody would give a damn because he is the people's protector. They'll think it is part of his job. And clothes are crucial to being cool. That's why he can't understand why his father chooses to wear the same old warrior clothes when he has every right to wear something cool. If he were old enough, he would never, ever adopt his father's poor fashion sense. He'd strut down the alleys in a long, black, genuine leather trench coat, complete with English boots. And of course, he wouldn't forget his sword which will perpetually remain strapped on his back when not in use. By appearance alone, the humans- and the undead, of course- would all fear for their lives. Or their lack thereof.

He will be called the Vampire Slayer Kurogane.

He has everything planned up to the infinitesimal detail. He is thirteen, and he needs only three more years to become a full pledged vampire slayer. His parents have been training him for a couple of years now and it won't be long before he could execute all those rigorous trainings in hard combat. He knows that he still has a lot to learn. He says he is already good, but he can't even deliver a punch smack into his father's face. And so, he trains and trains hard, and his efforts put a smile on his parents' faces.

When he was 14, he wanted to be a slayer because he wanted to surpass his father.

He idolizes his father in every way. Well, except for the clothes, of course. It became his life's dream to be as good as his father is, but even greater became his desire to surpass him. It is said that the value of a teacher is reflected in the student. He believes in it. And he wants to be worthy enough to be the son of such a great man. He wants people to acknowledge his parents' efforts in raising him. He dreams that one day, he will walk the streets of the town wearing his by then signature long, black, genuine leather trench coat, English boots and sword in hand. And people would come out and say warily:

"He is the Vampire Slayer Kurogane".

And so, he trains hard again. Even harder than before. Harder than he had ever tried in his fourteen years of existence. And once again, he makes his parents proud.

And one day, his efforts finally paid off. He has punched his father on the face.

He was too dumbstruck at first. And then he smiled. And his smile was so wide it was contagious. His parents smiled with him. And so did the world.

When he was 15, he wanted to be a slayer because he wanted to be strong.

He is in school and it is recess time. He stifles a yawn as he watches his classmates play spitball out the window. Curious, he walks over to them to see what the poor victim this time is. But he sees a ragged child gathering junk underneath. And the spitballs were adding to his misery.

"Stop it!" he growls at his boisterous classmates, but nobody would listen to him.

"I said stop it!" he repeats, but they continue their little game.

Fuming, he strangles one of them, topples over him and a fist fight ensues. Suddenly, the teacher enters, sees him on top, scolds him and sends him back home with the dreaded letter.

As soon as he enters the living room, his ever caring mother fusses over his wounds and bruises, never asking what kind of trouble he's been into and why he is home at so early in the morning.

His father simply looks at him and signals him to follow.

He follows.

He gives his father the letter, but his father wouldn't even look at it.

"Why?" is all he asks.

"They were spitting at a beggar." He answers, but he doesn't explain his side of the story. Because he knows he is right. It isn't necessary.

He looks up, and sees his father smiling.

"You're not angry?"

"Why should I be? You stood up to what you believe is right, Kurogane. You followed your heart. That's what matters."

"So you.. you believe me then?"

"I do."

And then, he was 16.

And so comes the day he's been waiting for all his life. That day, he was going to be a slayer. An official registered one. He is nervous, and so are the other youngsters. He counts the hours, the minutes, the seconds until the ceremony begins.

It is dusk, and there is a certain calmness in the air. As if the night is made especially for the ceremony. Twelve of them are chosen and as he falls in line, he looks towards his parents. His mother waves at him. His father looks at him.

He has never felt that happy in his life.

His name is called, he kneels, but just before the priestess gives him her blessings, several blurs of black attacked the people around and the next thing he knew, the priestess before him was lying on the ground. Pale. Dead.

Screams and yells follow, along with a mad stampede. They are being attacked. Chaos follows. He is lost among the sea of people. He is useless. He doesn't know what is happening. He doesn't know what to do.

The calm of the night is broken, the people are screaming. He runs. He tries to go to his parents because he knows they are fighting. They are in duty. And he should be too. He is now officially a slayer after all. He runs blindly, but a strong hand holds him back. He looks up. His teacher. He wishes to be thankful but now is not the time. He struggles. Wildly. Violently. Until the strong hand slowly loses its grip on his arm. He sees dead people. Lifeless, but not bloody. Not an ounce of blood is spilled on the ground. The corpses are ghostly white. Drained of blood. With fang marks on their necks. Their attackers were too many for their few warriors. Vampires.

Vampires.

He arrives at the place where his parents were a while ago. But the area is bare. Nobody is fighting anymore. Instead, several bodies were strewn on the ground. All had the same characteristics. Pale, drained, lifeless. He digs among the corpses desperately. He finds them. His mother is dead, her eyes are wide open. He closes her eyes. He kisses her.

"Kurogane?"

He turns his head so violently that it could have snapped out of his body. His father, there on the ground, just spoke. He lifts his father's head and he cradles him on his lap.

"Father, let's go home."

"Kurogane?"

He wants to cry now. But he keeps his tears at bay. His father never cries. So he knows he shouldn't too.

"Yes, father?"

"I'm proud of you."

And just like that, he died. He hugs his father's body. His idol. His saint. His god. Dead.

The calm of the previous hour returned once again. And he, along with the few dozen who survived, buried their dead in the middle of the night. He took his father's clothes and his beloved Souhi. His sacred sword.

That night, he said goodbye to his mentors.

That night, his father had said he was proud of him, but there was no longer a trace of the usual smile.

That night, he forgot about the trench coat and the English boots.

Because when he was 16, Kurogane became his father.

0o0o0o

Fai clapped his hands dramatically as he went out of his hiding place. He had been watching Kurogane and Syaoran battle with a lone vampire and it amazed him that they barely scratched themselves.

"That was a great move, Kuro-tan! You're a super slayer from a video game! Hi-yaaa! Yaaaaaa!" Fai praised, imitating the other's actions.

"Stop that, idiot! I didn't move like that!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No, I did not!"

"Yes, you did!"

"NO, I DID NOT, YOU IDIOT!"

"YES, YOU DID!"

"Kurogane-san, I've finished burning the corpse. Let's head back home!" Syaoran called over his shoulder.

"Che." Kurogane turned around grumpily, temporarily relieved because of the diversion Syaoran presented. He followed the kid.

"Neeeeeeee.. Kuro-tan?"

"What, now?!" he asked irately, facing Fai.

"I'm proud of you." And the blond man smiled, and followed Syaoran.

Kurogane was left standing alone, this time perplexed. A wistful smile wormed its way out of his tight lips as a dozen memories brought him back to his bittersweet childhood.


	5. Je t'attendais

**A/N: **Woot. An update. Sorry for the lack, school's a bother. Anyway, here you all go. Thanks for reading this far.

**0o0o0o**

He shuddered.

Tiny pellets of rain crashed against the dusty glass windows, creating background music to match his already melancholic mood. A few minutes more and he felt the temperature lowering inside the room. The wine swayed violently as he put the bottle down on the table. It was barely midnight and he had already downed three and a half bottles. He never really intended to drink. Not here, not in this house. The people here were too good, too kind, too warm to be bothered by him, but being that drinking was the only way he knew of escape, he succumbed to it. He succumbed to every little sensation that drinking brought. He never really liked the taste of alcohol, but it was a small price to pay for the effects it brought him. And it was the effects he was after anyway. The warmth he gets that starts from his throat, diffuses throughout his body and lingers in his chest, warding off the cold both from the inside and from the outside. And most of the time, it's the only consolation he has, knowing that he'll be waking up to a splitting headache, and remembering nothing from the previous night. And he'll be totally fine with it because a splitting headache is nothing next to a broken soul anyway.

A look at the window brought a sarcastic smile to his lips. What a great coincidence. Perhaps the rain knew he'd be drinking tonight and that the alcohol would be providing enough warmth to last the night and with this knowledge proceeded to shower throughout god knows where just to prove that nothing could stop nature's glory? He has always hated the rain even when he was a child, but the hate grew since that day. That day he never bothered to speak about to anyone again.

Hah. He laughed at himself inwardly.

As if he had someone else to share it with anyway.

He guessed he could call it luck that the first time he went to this city and got drunk, Syaoran and Kurogane got to him. If they hadn't seen him that night, what could have happened to him? It's been almost half a year since he stayed in the café, now that he'd thought about it. And it's been that long since he decided to stop drinking. It was, after all, the only thing he could do to repay everything that the princess and her crew have done for him.

And sometimes, the thought scares him.

It scares him that maybe he was being too close to them that he would find it hard to get on with his non-life. It scares him that maybe he was becoming a part of them, that leaving would be hard, and that separation would break all of them apart. And most of all it scares him that maybe, just maybe, he has found a reason to live again.

But he can never accept that last thought. Because he doesn't deserve to live again. He had done a mistake that would have been more than enough to cost a lifetime. A mistake that had ruined him entirely, knowing that he was the one who did it; he was the one who decided on it because he was too idealistic for his own good. And because he didn't know that he wasn't ready enough for the responsibility and for the pain his own actions would bring him.

And so he drank, until the world spun before him, time ticked by without him, and he learned the ways of non-existence that everything he used to believe in went to waste and everyone he's known before were no more.

And he was Fai once more. Just Fai.

The door opened slowly, interrupting Fai's unstable trains of thought. The shadows embraced the whole of the room and it was hard to see because he never really bothered to open the lights, but he knew who went in anyway. He supposed he's not drunk enough.

"What the hell are you doing with all these bottles?" came the usual gruff voice, which obviously wasn't hiding what seemed to be irritation.

"Ah, Kuro-tan!" He answered sweetly, complete with the usual smile he reserved for the people of the household.

Kurogane walked towards him, his face hidden by the shadows. As soon as he was in front of Fai, he stopped. He had almost managed to grab the half-empty bottle of wine when Fai grabbed his arm.

"Please. Don't. I need it."

He had no time to put on the usual mask. He was too agitated to even think of a witty counterattack. He was desperate. He needed the alcohol. He needed to be drunk. And the man before him would never understand. It was a mistake, he realized a little too late.

Kurogane only looked at him. This was the first time that this drunk man said he needed anything. This was the first time that Fai looked at him with desperation in his eyes and he knew all at once, even without asking, that something was terribly out of place. Something was wrong.

Nobody bothered to speak for a minute or so. Kurogane stood there, looking at Fai, his fingers still on the neck of the half-empty wine bottle. Fai sat there, his hand clasped around Kurogane's arm, his eyes pleading for the first time in months. And he wasn't smiling. Outside, the rain continued to pour heavily.

"Who are you?" Kurogane asked suddenly, his eyes never leaving Fai's.

"Kuro-sama, I.."

"Don't you Kuro-sama me. Who are you?" Kurogane replied angrily.

Fai chose not to reply.

_I will tell you._

_But please, not now._

_Not this way._

"We're going to play this game until you're tired of this then? And until then I'll keep on guessing who you really are?" Kurogane asked rhetorically.

This was just too much. He wanted to know Fai. Heck, they'd been roommates for half a year already and all he knows is that the thin man before him was a drunkard. But he knew that there was more to him than meets the eye. How come he could feel vampires? Why did he seem to know a lot about them? And most of all, why was he being stalked?

It's hard to fight when you don't know what you're fighting for. And it's hard to protect someone when that someone doesn't even want to be protected.

"Kuro-sama, please."

"Have it your way, then." Kurogane muttered under his breath, pulling his arm away from Fai's grasp, and bringing the bottle along with him as he began to walk.

Fai's vision began to haze as he watched Kurogane walk out the door through the shadows with his bottle in hand.

**0o0o0o **

He needed to take a walk. And a walk at this goddamn hour was as good as any. He wanted to clear things off his mind. He wanted to stop thinking about issues he really shouldn't be concerned with. He wanted to be alone.

The rain had just stopped, but the atmosphere it brought with it remained. The air was too cold for comfort, triggered more by the late hour. What time was it anyway? By the position of the moon, he surmised it should have been past midnight already. He should be getting some sleep, but no matter how hard he tried, all that happened was a violent toss and turn. He knew it would be futile to pretend he would fall asleep. That just wasn't possible. And so he decided to go out, to have a breath of fresh air, to have some time alone because the room they were sharing suddenly seemed too suffocating.

Kurogane kicked a stray stone furiously as he put his hands inside his pockets. It was so not him to feel frustrated for something he really shouldn't have any business with. What was it to him if that drunkard didn't want to reveal himself to anyone? What was it to him if that jerk of a man chose to isolate his real self, and pretend to be all sunshiny happy whenever he was with the others? Why should he care?

_Goddamn it._

He kicked the stone harder that it escalated farther than he intended it to go. It could have been a peaceful night. He could hear the leaves rustling, and the night was as quiet as a grave. It was pitch black except for the stars that were scattered here and about, as the lamp posts that were supposed to illuminate the streets were broken, probably suffering a short circuit because of the rain. He could have enjoyed being in the outside, if not for the clutter that was currently his mind.

And then he saw it.

He only saw a flash, a blur of black that temporarily blurred his vision with its inherent speed, but he knew at once what was happening. Not a split second later and several others followed, and it would have seemed to a normal bystander that the air was being slashed by some sharp black blades. But he knew better, of course. He had been trained for this all his life.

Here he was, alone in the dark streets.

And a whole coven was just in front of him.

Heart pounding just a little, he walked. Slowly at first, as if to make sure that he wasn't mistaken, until his pace quickened, being guided by the feeling he always gets whenever vampires are near. Indeed. Vampires. And there were a lot of them tonight.

Running, Kurogane took Souhi out of her sheath. It was time for some action. He needed this, to let out some steam. He needed to vent out. And these vampires proved to be the perfect excuse.

There were at least seven of them, but only three remained in the spot where Kurogane was nearby. The three were crouching by the lamp post where they had landed, probably unknowing that a slayer was just behind them. He didn't have time to think twice. He slashed from behind, but it seemed that the vampires felt his presence at the last minute. They leapt.

This is more like it, he thought.

Now they were face to face. This was definitely better. He assumed a stance, with Souhi held in his two hands. They were distanced just a foot away, and the three vampires were all crouched, ready for attack. And their eyes were wild.

They were probably starved.

Kurogane surveyed them more thoroughly before deciding on the action to take. There wasn't anything peculiar to them. In fact, they seemed to be newborns. They were emitting a very strong aura, and as he learned from experience, the stronger the aura emitted, the weaker. This would be easy.

"_Hama Ryū-ō Jin!"_

Totally caught off guard by the sudden attack, the vampires were hit, collapsing to the ground just like a domino. So this is what happens when a vampire is terribly hungry. He shrugged. They were too weak. And they were newborns. They could never compete with him.

The vampires began to regain composure, trying to stand with their wobbly legs, but before they even got to their knees, Kurogane stood before them and tipped the end of his lighter so that gas poured like oil on their heads. He lit the lighter and tossed it to them, burning them alive, without even driving his sword to their hearts. They were much too weak, much too hungry, and it would be cruel to prolong their suffering. Or was it the other way around? Honestly, he didn't care.

He walked on as the lamentations of the incinerating ones reached his ears.

_That's enough for tonight._

He thought, and decided to make his way back home. But somewhere along the sewer where he had first seen Fai, he felt the other vampires' presence. Instinctively, he assumed another stance, his right hand ready to pull Souhi out anytime. These vampires were hiding their auras well. They were stronger, far stronger than the first ones he encountered. The sewer was darker than the streets, and it was hard to make out the figures. He was ready.

But what he heard next was far more than anything he could ever prepare himself for.

"I've waited for you, my dear Fai-Fai."

And a shiver ran down Kurogane's spine.


	6. Transe

**A/N: **I'm terribly sorry for the slow update. Really, I am. So here, for your reading pleasure, I've made the longest (so far) chapter of all the chaptered fics I've ever written. This starts the actual plot, so I hope I don't disappoint you all. Enjoy.

0o0o0o0o

"I've waited for you, my dear Fai-Fai".

His entire body froze at that statement. His usually adept fingers were still clenching Souhi's handle tightly, but it seemed they were too coagulated for use. All of his senses were on red alert, but ironically, he remained fixed at the spot where he heard the voice. His eyes could have burned the said man right then and there with his intense glare. His breath came about in sharp, suppressed hitches; his lungs pounding against his ribcage as he positioned himself into a familiar fighting stance, even though the very act was against his body's will.

He had sensed it at the very moment the man spoke. He wasn't emitting any aura, and yet he felt great surges of energy from him. He was in every way powerful. He had never felt, nor met anyone as condescending as this one, and though he hated to admit it, it made him shiver to think that he was only a few feet away from that immense source of power. There was a venomous chill to his voice that was enough to intimidate anyone and he almost felt he would fall victim. He gulped, and yet he stood still.

He let his eyes roam the surroundings for a minute, taking in every possible advantage he could find in the darkness. The man, or rather, the vampire and his coven were in the sewers, a few feet away from where he was. The dim light of the almost broken lamppost illuminated their figures, just enough for him to see their overcast shadows. The street was empty, and not even a cat was in sight. A wall whose paint was almost chipping off hid him well. It was a strategic position for him should he decide to turn back and head off to safety.

Inwardly, he cursed himself.

_Like hell I'd turn back._

How in the world could he turn back and think about his own safety when there, smack in the middle of the vampire and his coven, was Fai?

Kurogane's grip tightened around Souhi, knowing that should they even try to touch the blond, he'll attack. Prudence be damned. He wasn't about to let them hurt him.

Why was he there? Why did the vampire call him by his name? And most of all, why did the vampire say he waited for him? These questions, among many others sat waiting to be answered. But that really wasn't the best time to ponder. Right then, all he knew was that he had to get Fai-and himself- out of there, alive. Though the question of how to do it remained a mystery to him.

He lowered his stance stealthily, his sword at the ready. One false move, and he'll shot out of his hiding place. But he had to wait for the perfect timing. Everything had to be done at the right time. Every second would count. There was no room for strategies now. Only risks. And that was the only option he had.

He waited with bated breath. But so far, nothing seemed to be happening. Fai stood there, his face gaunt in the dim light, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, his posture about to break with tension. The vampire stood majestically, towering over him with his back leaning casually on the damp wall of the sewer, his eyes fixed intently on the blond man. His coven of four surrounded them, but they weren't posed for attack as far as Kurogane could see. In fact, it could be mistaken as a secret meeting, although he really didn't know for sure.

"Yes. I am here".

That was definitely Fai.

And he definitely had something to do with these vampires.

Kurogane scooted closer, slowly, until he was almost sure they could see him. He felt his hands shake madly as he went closer, as if they had a mind of their own. He only had to take Fai away from them, quickly. He had no time to fight. And even if he did, he wouldn't stand much of a chance anyway. So even if he never opted for the escape part of his job, he knew it was the only reasonable choice. He'd always regarded escape as cowardly, but then again, there is a first time for everything.

"Come out of hiding," the smooth venomous voice commanded, and he knew at once that it was directed to him.

His heart began to palpitate faster than it had been doing for the past ten minutes or so. They knew. Well, that wasn't surprising. He took a deep breath, kept his hands on Souhi, and stiffened his resolve. He came out of his hiding to face them. There was no other way, was there?

He walked towards the sewer, stopping just near enough to see the obvious change in Fai's reaction. His blue, catlike eyes widened just a little bit in surprise and fear, and his face drained of color, as if it had any color to begin with. His eyes met Fai's, and there was a message written behind his fearful eyes.

_Run._

He had never seen Fai so afraid before. Hell, he had never seen Fai show any emotion more than his happy façade. And just with that look, he understood that something was wrong even though it seemed that Fai had some sort of alliance with them.

_Run._

"Do you know him, Fai?" The vampire asked, his black eyes piercing through Kurogane's crimson ones.

He was no ordinary vampire, alright. He didn't look like the ones he had met and fought with in the past. He didn't even look like the rest of his adoring coven. He was graced with a hundred times more poise than the rest of them combined.

He had long, black silky hair that brushed against his shoulders. The kind of hair that would make every damn member of the female population bitter. The kind of hair that men shouldn't even possess. He was around Fai's height, and like him, he had a slender frame. He had piercing black eyes to match the hair. He had a royal bearing and all, and it wouldn't surprise Kurogane one bit if the vampire actually was a king or something, if that existed in the vampire world. And to top it all off, he was garbed in black from head to toe. And he had a cape. Exactly like those vampire movies he used to see when he was a child.

"Do you know him, Fai?" the vampire's voice rang again, being that the blond idiot hadn't given a response.

"No," came the quick reply.

Kurogane grunted. He should have expected that type of answer. And he knew beyond doubt just what the hell the drunken idiot of a man had in his mind at that very moment. Because at the point of panic though he was, he was still composed as a clam.

The vampire then turned to him.

"Do you know Fai-Fai then?" he said, smiling as if there was anything funny with what he had just said.

"Like hell I do."

There was really no point in lying, was there? He knew that the vampire was playing mind tricks. He knew a trick when he saw one. Hell, he knew what the word rhetorical meant. The question wasn't even meant to be answered by either party. He was doing it of his own volition. Just for fun.

"Let's go, Ashura-sama." Fai murmured; his face set as hard as stone.

_Ashura, huh?_

"What, you don't want to take your little friend with you?"

Fai remained there standing, his hands clenched at his sides. He was then looking over at Kurogane, his eyes betraying his otherwise expressionless face. It could have been berating for all it was worth.

_Fuck off, Kurogane._

That was clearly the message written in those hateful eyes.

Which was so not Fai, by the way.

Kurogane chose to ignore the message though, as he remained there, standing stubbornly. Like hell he would fuck off. He couldn't put the details together, that much he was sure of, but solving the puzzle that went with the name of Fai could not be his mission at the very moment. There were only two things he had to do right then and there- save Fai and himself, and run.

Ashura began to walk towards Kurogane, shifting his attention from Fai to the other. He walked slowly, his cape dancing with every step he took, and he walked slowly, slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. And then he stopped in front of Kurogane, who just stood there looking all-fierce. Ashura extended his arms, and slowly reached them out to touch Kurogane's face.

Kurogane gulped for what seemed like the nth time that night. He had never been that close to immense power before, perhaps which was why he was reacting that way. He felt mad beads of sweat coming out of his every pore. He was tense, as tense as far as the word goes. But that was better. Anything to keep this ancient looking vampire from Fai. He still had his hand on Souhi's handle. A flick might do if he got lucky. Although that was a ten million to one chance, of course.

Anything to keep the vampire from Fai, he would risk.

Ashura took a few steps closer, his hands extending in front of him. Kurogane didn't break eye contact. He was tense. But he wasn't afraid. There was not even a chance for him to feel afraid. As the hands drew closer, threatening to cover his face, he shut his eyes by impulse. He didn't know what the vampire was capable of doing, but he was sure it would hurt. It might have been a cowardly move but that was all he could do as he waited for the pain that he might encounter should Souhi not succeed.

But the foreseen pain didn't come.

And then he heard a maddening crash that made him open his eyes quickly. Blond hair covered his vision, as he realized that Fai stepped in, just in time to save him. The said blond was standing right in front of him, his breathing labored as if he had just carried something a hundred times more than his weight. And there was no Ashura in front of him. Scanning around, he saw that the great Ashura was hurled to the wall where he had been hiding himself just a few moments ago.

Fai, the slender, drunken blond, had just hurled Ashura smack into the wall.

"Run, Kurogane". He heard Fai's low whisper.

Whatever happened to the nicknames?

"What the hell are you talking about? You're running with me. Come on." He retaliated, taking Fai's thin wrists in his grasp tightly.

But Fai wouldn't budge.

"What's the idea, you idiot?! Come on!"

The coven was closing in on them, moving as slowly as their master had. Kurogane felt insulted. It was as if they didn't take Fai and him seriously. He was about to pull Souhi off her sheath when he caught a glimpse of Fai's leg at the side of his face. A hot white pain shot through where Fai's foot came into contact with and the next thing he knew, he was flying against the opposite direction of the wall.

He hit the wall with such a mighty force that the bricks began to crumble. His head hurt like hell, and he must have broken a few bones, if he diagnosed himself right. He began to stand up, but his knees gave way. The world spun around him, and in a distance, in the place where Fai remained standing, he could see the blur of shadows of the coven closing in on him. The master, Ashura, seemed to have regained his composure, as he formed a part of the circle that was, once again, slowly, slowly, closing in on Fai.

Why Fai, of all people?

Why couldn't they just attack him, instead?

Kurogane was pissed beyond reason. It was one thing to be kept in the dark, but it was another thing to witness everything unfold before your very eyes without understanding one hell of a bit of everything.

"HAMA RYU JIN!"

"Kurogane, no!" Fai's voice was drowned by the shockwaves that his attack brought.

Nobody seemed to have been harmed though. He meant it as a distraction, and should there have been injuries, it would have only been a bonus.

At that surprise attack, the circle around Fai was broken. And almost immediately, the four vampires were at his side. He looked at each of them, despite his hazy vision. Where the hell was Ashura?

"Do anything you want. But do not touch his blood." came the chilling voice from a distance.

"Not even a lick?" one extremely beautiful vampire asked.

"If my Fai-Fai doesn't want him dead, or rather, undead. Then the answer is no."

Hell. Ashura could not be swayed, could he?

All the asshole wanted was Fai.

A punch to his gut brought him to his knees. They had taken Souhi from his hands but he was too busy looking over at Fai to actually mind himself.

Fai stood there, his eyes wide with terror, and he was looking at him. Whatever it was that was about to transpire, Fai seemed to have resigned to it. The only flaw to it was he, Kurogane.

"Stop it, Ashura-sama." Fai murmured, not taking his eyes off Kurogane.

"Hmmmm."

"Please."

He seemed to be hearing their conversation in his head. Fai was pleading. Fai was pleading for Kurogane's life. And Kurogane didn't understand one bit of what was happening. He felt a kick here, a punch there, and he was almost lying on the damp pavement, with Souhi lying a few feet away from his grasp, and yet he could not even reach out to hold her. Every piece of his being was burning with pain, and yet he didn't feel it. He knew he was in pain, because he was almost paralyzed, but what he felt more was helplessness.

He felt useless.

He was supposed to be the goddamned vampire slayer. Here were four powerful vampires around him, and here he was, doubled up in the pavement, drowning in his own blood. His sword was just a few feet off his reach, and yet he couldn't even extend his arms to fight them. And what was ironic was that there was technically a pool of his blood in there, and yet none of the said vampires actually touched it.

They weren't hungry vampires. They were powerful enough that they could live without it.

"You'll have my word, Fai-Fai. Just like you had a few years back."

"…."

"I will spare him. I do not need him anyway."

"Then do. Please do."

At the corner of his bleeding eye, Kurogane caught sight of Ashura taking a step towards Fai until he was close enough to breathe the other's breath. Ashura then extended his hands towards Fai's face, exactly what he had done to Kurogane before Fai cut it short.

"You're asking me for something without even an exchange for it. What you'll be giving me isn't in exchange for him. This is what you owe me." Ashura said, caressing Fai's face with his hands.

Fai was still looking at Kurogane.

"I have nothing else to give you, Ashura-sama."

"That's good enough for me. I am a very generous man, am I not, Fai?"

"Yes. Yes, you are."

The coven seemed to have been picking up the conversation as much as he had. And taking that answer as an affirmative to Fai's request, the coven left him, swimming in a pool of his own blood.

He couldn't be more useless than he was.

Slowly yet again, Ashura came closer to Fai. Much, much closer than he was a while ago.

Fai looked at him with sad eyes, with the slightest hint of a smile, as if he were looking at him for the last time.

"I'm sorry, Kuro-sama".

Kurogane's eyes widened at that. He stood up against his body's will, his blood dripping all over the place. He staggered as he picked up Souhi. He needed to get up.

Then Ashura looked at Kurogane and smiled. He bent his head, inclining it low so that his lips touched Fai's neck. He kissed it once, twice. And this, he did slowly, slowly, as if taunting Kurogane in every way he can.

Kurogane swayed, he staggered, he fell. And yet, he continued to stand up everytime. He was defying all laws of nature by standing up. He should have died with loss of blood, but he didn't. He shouldn't have been able to stand up with all his broken bones, but he did. He should be blinded with pain, but he wasn't. All these because he needed to save Fai.

Save Fai. Save Fai. Save Fai.

"I'm sorry, Kuro-sama".

Ashura bared his fangs, and tearing the skin on Fai's neck, he drank Fai's blood, taking everything he shouldn't have.

Kurogane wanted to shout. But he couldn't shout. He felt his heart pound against his ribcage. He kept walking. He will reach Fai soon enough. He will kill Ashura.

He was just a few feet away. He was blinded with rage and hopelessness. But he will kill Ashura.

Ashura laid Fai gently on the damp wall of the sewer. He stood up, smiled gently at Kurogane, then took his leave.

Kurogane didn't make it in time. He was just a few seconds away, but he didn't make it. He sat next to where Fai, deathly pale with his neck bleeding, lay. Shaking with exhaustion, he covered Fai's clammy hand with his bloody knuckles.

He heard Syaoran's voice faintly from a distance, calling out his and Fai's name. He didn't want to answer. He was too tired now.

If he was going to die, he was going to die next to Fai. He took Fai's head and laid it on his shoulder.

And then the world turned black.


	7. Matin

**A/N: **I know I've said this thousand and thousands of times before, but let me say it again: I'm terribly sorry for being such a late updater. I'm going to hide and repent now. Sniffs.Anyway, thanks for waiting. Next chapter will be up in no time, promise. And thanks to my beta: anmbcuconnfan- you're amazing! Now, on with the read!

**0o0o0o**

It was like déjà vu.

Tomoyo knew she'd seen this scene before, and the image replayed on her mind. Fai, pale and unconscious, was resting on Kurogane's shoulders. The image brought her back to a time when Fai was not yet in their lives, when everything Kurogane knew was slaying vampires and beating up drunks. If their lives had remained the same, Tomoyo would have laughed at the situation. It was amusing, really, to have someone as big and strong as Kurogane lose to fragile, slender Fai every time he teased. And yet, it happened all the time. Tomoyo knew what it meant of course. If Kurogane had been really serious about "having the drunk's head for dinner," then there wouldn't have been anything left of Fai. But as she stood there looking at the two unconscious figures, she saw that Fai was still whole.

Physically, at least.

She had seen this before, that time when she had first seen Fai. He was so drunk that he was unconscious. Kurogane was irritated to the seventh pit of hell and Syaoran was as worried as ever. But the atmosphere was warm.

Unlike now.

She swallowed back a gulp and bit her lips hard. She had to suppress her fear, because if she didn't, she might cause more worry than was already necessary. Fai and Kurogane were slumped on the pavement of the sewer. Fai's head rested on Kurogane's shoulder, while the latter's bowed so low that their heads were touching. Kurogane's hand held Fai's tightly. The contrast between them was so intense that it almost made her scream. Kurogane was bloody, too bloody. His arms, head, and almost every part of him was bleeding profusely. His sword remained by his side and even Souhi was bloody. But Fai…

She bit her lips harder until she felt the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

"What happened, Tomoyo-hime?" Syaoran asked agitatedly.

"I'm guessing an encounter, Syaoran-kun."

"But why wasn't I told by Kurogane-san? And why is Fai- san…"

"I don't know Syaoran-kun."

She knelt down beside the two unconscious figures. She stroked Kurogane's head, feeling the fresh blood stain her delicate hands. Slowly, she reached out another hand to touch Fai as well. She extended her arm slowly. Her hand hovered a few inches above Fai's face. But it just remained there. Shaking, she pulled it back. She wanted to cry.

She couldn't bring herself to touch Fai.

His new presence reminded her of too many things she would rather forget. She wanted to touch him, God knows she did. But out of reflex, out of the fear and confusion she knew would hurt every tangible and intangible part of her, she couldn't.

"Tomoyo-hime?"

"Let's get them home, Syaoran-kun".

For the second time in her life, Tomoyo Daidouji felt that she would explode into pieces.

**0o0o0o**

Sakura knew when something bothered her Syaoran. She knew it by the way he held himself, by the way he spoke, and by the way he smiled. She was walking towards the bar counter to clean it, even though she wasn't sure if they would open again. She saw him sitting alone on one of the coffee tables. He was looking far away; she knew instantly that he was sad and troubled, just like everybody else in the household. She decided to postpone the cleaning and let Syaoran have his moment.

"I don't like what's happening either, Syaoran," she muttered softly under her breath before moving away.

**0o0o0o**

Kurogane took on his father's name, his father's sword, and his father's honor because he wanted to avenge him.

The day he buried his parents' bodies, he had sworn all loyalty under Tomoyo-hime. He would kill every vampire, burn their pathetic asses straight into hell, and never leave an undead roaming the earth for as long as his heart beats. That was his life's purpose.

He grew up with Tomoyo-hime, trained himself, took Syaoran under his wing and trained him, fell, stumbled, got up, fought, battled, killed, got hurt, got up and fought again. He could endure anything. He could do anything to serve his life's purpose. He was born to be a slayer. That was all he knew. That was all he understood.

He lived to kill vampires. He lived for vengeance.

The years passed. He lived, and Tomoyo-hime, Syaoran and Sakura did too. The vampires died, and they died and they died.

And then, a drunken idiot came.

He annoyed every inch of Kurogane's being. He was noisy, he was boisterous, he was cheerful. He shone like the sun and he scattered his rays inside the cottage, so that every inch was filled with his presence. He shone like the mornings of Nihon that Kurogane loved so much. He shone so brightly, that a day without him was like having no morning at all.

Then the vampires came for him. At first, Kurogane killed them because they were vampires.

Months passed and vampires died and Kurogane pretended that he still killed them for the same reason; because they were vampires. The idiot shone more, and the cottage was happy. But the idiot was sad. There was always a shadow that followed his every ray, and that shadow threatened to swallow him every time. They lived, and vampires died. But then the vampires came for him again, and Kurogane tried to kill them.

Not because they were vampires, but because he wanted to protect the idiot.

He was confused. He didn't want to admit it. Yet he realized that there wasn't any contest at all. He would protect the idiot first, and then deal with the vampires. He hadn't forgotten his goal. He simply remade it.

Because as time passed by, Kurogane understood that vengeance was not a way of life. Protecting someone is.

And he began living for it.

**0o0o0o**

"You're awake." Tomoyo greeted Kurogane as soon as she entered his room, and saw that her patient was already sitting on the bed with his head on his hands. She took time to survey his form. He looked a whole lot better after two days of complete bed rest. The other patient, however…

"How is he?" he asked without looking at her.

"I… can't tell. I don't know," she muttered as she sat down on his bedside.

There was silence between them, but it wasn't tense.

She felt his pain, and he felt hers. They'd been victims of the same circumstance, of the same fate. They'd shared the same pain.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this again, hime."

Another silence.

Tomoyo took Kurogane's hand into her own. It was hard at first, but she understood. She always understood.

"Can I see him?"

"Give him time, Kurogane. For now, just rest," she said as she patted his head, then stood up and left.

She closed the door behind her.

She sighed.

Kurogane would protect Fai no matter what the odds were; that much was clear to her. The mere fact that he was willing to die with him was proof enough. She knew that he would follow Fai all the way to the ends of the earth should the other decide to go there. She had nothing against it. In fact, she was happy that Kurogane was finally living for something real. She had wished for nothing but his happiness.

But his happiness was something that always proved to be evasive.


	8. Je t'aime

**A/N: **I have been a good girl, haven't I? I finished the chapter as promised. Chapter 203 really helped a lot: Fai and Kurogane are sooo back to normal. Again, thanks to my beta: anmbcuconnfan. Now, be good to me and review. Enjoy!

0o0o0o

"Oi, idiot," Kurogane called hesitantly through the closed door of Tomoyo-hime's room, where, according to the princess, Fai was currently resting.

It had been a few hours now since Kurogane had woken up. The first thing he saw, of course, was the princess' kind and understanding face near his bedside. He felt relieved despite the fact that he knew exactly what would be gracing him: the princess' never-ending understanding. He felt relieved because he knew that if the princess was capable of giving him such a face, then it only meant that she hadn't decided to leave the idiot to rot outside. He understood what it meant for her of course, and that was what nagged him. He knew that this, whatever this was, wasn't easy for the princess. They had both been through the same ordeal already, and it wasn't really on their favorites list. And yet, here it was again.

The first ordeal was a lot easier to deal with compared to this new one, now that he actually thought about it. Easier, for the sole reason that they were allowed to hate every goddamn vampire who killed everyone they both loved. And by every, he meant it: the ancients, the females, the newborns, heck even the unborn. They could hate for as long and as intensely as they would like. Although, maybe that emotion was just his because even until now, he wasn't sure if Tomoyo- hime was actually capable of hating. Easier, because right after the ordeal, they began a new life that was in a sense dedicated to the very reason of their bereavement. Easier, because after the death of his parents, he just continued where they left off, feeding off of the hatred and the vengeance that he had sworn upon their graves to uphold the night that he became their gravedigger. How he wished that they could both just let this ordeal pass the very same way they did many years back; that after what happened with that powerful vampire named Ashura, they (or he) could just hate every freaking vampire again. How he wished he could just get on with his job as a vampire slayer. Due to the injuries he had recently suffered, he would be more inspired to train harder in order to kill every single one of them, knowing that they were still out there, lurking everywhere. He wished that the hatred he felt then would burn even stronger until he would be consumed by it, blinded by it, and that he wouldn't know anything else. He wouldn't care about anything-- all that would matter would be killing them and burning their disgusting corpses until their smell clogged his senses to his satisfaction. How was he supposed to pretend to do all of that, now that everything changed?

"Idiot! If you're awake, answer me!" he shouted, his hands now balled into fists.

The silence was killing him. He knew what the idiot had become, of course. That was what made the ordeal harder. That was what changed everything.

Why did it have to be him, of all people?

He never really realized how much had changed since the idiot came. To him, it felt like everything went on as usual and nothing was out of the ordinary. Tomoyo-hime became just a little more cheerful since the idiot came because he tolerated her weirdness; the children were happier, the cottage became lighter, and maybe, he too, became a bit more relaxed. But it seemed to be nothing more than that. It wasn't until the first time he learned that the other was being tracked down by vampires that he realized how much he actually cared about him. Slowly, his goal began to change. He no longer killed simply for the sake of vengeance. He had someone to protect.

What hurt was the fact that he wasn't even able to protect the one whom he wanted to protect.

"Kurogane…" Tomoyo's voice cut through Kurogane's thoughts.

"Hime… is he alright? He's not answering me. I'm going in," Kurogane babbled, apparently not having given any more thought to what he was saying.

Tomoyo approached him and put a hand to his arm as if to calm him down.

"He wouldn't like it if you barged in, Kurogane. Let's not hurt him any more than he already is," she pleaded, her eyes full of understanding.

"But if he is… If he needs…"

"Do you think he will accept whatever it is you're planning to offer him?" Tomoyo reasoned, and Kurogane scoffed, knowing that she was right. Whatever it was that Fai needed, he wouldn't ask it from any of them, even if all of them were more than willing to give it.

Fai would never drink their blood.

**0o0o0o**

Kurogane was sleeping on the corridor outside of Tomoyo-hime's room when he heard Fai screaming in what seemed like pain. He stood up, as quickly as his newly recovered body allowed him to, and in a flash, he was in front of the heavily locked door, ready to knock it down. A raspy voice he barely knew, however, stopped him from doing so.

"Stay away, Kurogane."

That much was understandable from the string of contorted wheezes that accompanied Fai's sentence.

The lack of the usual name abomination almost stopped him from what he was doing, but he had to save the idiot first. He banged on the door, feeling more anxious than he had ever felt. He knew that the idiot was in pain despite the way his voice tried to downplay it. He had to do something.

"Oi! Are you alright? Hang in there, I'll get you out!" He kicked on the heavily bolted door, but it refused to budge, thanks to all the heavy locks he had put on the other side for the princess' safety. He cursed his over protectiveness.

"Kurogane? Is Fai okay? I thought I heard him screaming," Tomoyo asked, with Sakura and Syaoran in tow. Each of them mimicked each other's faces with worry.

"I don't know! Help me; I need to get to him!" Kurogane kicked and kicked on the door, but it was still fast locked on the other side. It was impossible to open without the person on the other side's consent.

"Go away… I don't… need help…"

"Shut up, you idiot! I'm going in there whether you like it or not! If you can stand up, then open the goddamn door already!"

"I said I don't need anything, Kurogane. Go away."

"Like hell I will!"

"GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! "

Kurogane, and upon looking behind him, almost everyone, was taken aback by Fai's reaction.

Fai had just shouted.

"Hime… are you there? I… I'm sorry. Just please… please let me be. I'm sorry." Fai's weak voice broke through the door, this time sounding almost as gentle as he used to speak.

"Fai…" Tomoyo whispered, and she, too, went closer to the door. She touched the door in an almost loving way, as if she were making up for not being able to hold Fai. Every word that Fai spoke was breaking, and she felt every word as if it pierced right through her.

"Hime, I… I'm sorry. Please, go away."

"It's okay, Fai. Don't worry about a thing, please. If you need anything, just call. We will be right behind this door. Get well, please, my dear Fai…"

"…"

"Let's go, Kurogane. Let him be, for now," Tomoyo said as she pulled Kurogane, who continued to stand there stubbornly, away from the door.

**0o0o0o**

Sakura wandered into the corridor outside Tomoyo- hime's room. Until recently, she would have been afraid of ghosts. She knew that Kurogane-san would again be keeping vigil in the corridor outside Tomoyo-hime's room. Sometimes, Syaoran accompanied him like the good apprentice that he was, but more often than not, Kurogane preferred to do it alone. This time, she saw from a distance, that he was indeed alone, and he was already sleeping.

She hurried up towards the spot where he was sitting. The night was chilly, and it was almost midnight. Slowly, afraid that Kurogane might be awakened, she tucked the heavy blanket she had carefully chosen from her laundry around his sleeping form.

"We know you love Fai-san, Kurogane-san. But, we love you too. And we will love you both no matter what happens."

She whispered the said words into the wind, because she knew that if she allowed Kurogane to hear it, they would both be embarrassed.

**0o0o0o**

Kurogane heard what Sakura whispered anyway, despite her efforts. He was awake the entire time, but he kept his façade anyway. He didn't want to embarrass them both.

**0o0o0o**

The night air was too chilly for comfort, Kurogane thought as he wrapped the thick blanket that Sakura had thankfully brought him around his body. He sighed. How many days and nights had he been keeping vigil outside Tomoyo-hime's room anyway? He had lost count.

"Oi, did you close the windows there? Don't let the cold in," he said through the thick door, hoping that the message reached the other side.

Silence.

Kurogane sighed again.

**0o0o0o**

"Oi, idiot."

Silence.

"…Fai…"

Silence.

"Fai."

**0o0o0o**

Nine days.

It had been nine days since the incident with that Ashura, and Kurogane was getting impatient.

He didn't know what was already going on with Fai. Was he alright? The last time he even made a sound from the other side of the room was that time when he shouted accidentally, and from then on, no sound escaped from the room. It was as if he was intent on avoiding any sound at all, lest he shout at one more member of the household. Kurogane tried knocking, and kicking, and cursing at the top of his lungs, of course. Anything at all just to elicit any reaction from him, anything at all to make sure he was all right. Should there have been any other opening from which he could at least get a glimpse of the other, then Kurogane wouldn't have wasted a single moment in doing so. But there wasn't, because he had made sure of that when he built the goddamn locks on Tomoyo-hime's door. He could have tried slicing the door into pieces, but Tomoyo-hime was against it, saying that if Fai needed more time, then they would give him all the time he needed.

But nine days was too much, Kurogane decided. And with not knowing what Fai's condition was, time was of the essence.

With or without Tomoyo-hime's consent, he would barge in.

"Oi, idiot! I'm coming in now."

Still no answer.

Opting for the choice he should have done some days ago, he took Souhi out of her sheath, sliced the door, taking mental notes to replace it with the exact material later, and waited for the pieces and shrapnel of the once weighty door to crumble down in front of him. As soon as he put Souhi back to her sheath, the sight that greeted him made his eyebrows furrow deeply.

The once tidy room was now a mess. The lights were turned off, or rather; they never seemed to have been used throughout all of the nine days that Fai had been confined. The sheets which were always neatly stacked in one corner of the room were now scattered about, and a few of the pillows were now unrecognizable. Several feathers that obviously came from the pillows were piled in heaps on the floor. The carpet that Tomoyo- hime loved so much had some scratches on it, and even the bedside table itself seemed to have a scratch. The bed stood bare, and there was nothing covering it. At the foot of the bed lay the bed sheet, and just like the carpet, it had scratches and rips.

At the edge of the bed, Fai leaned, with several blankets covering his entire body, so that only his head was visible. His eyes were closed, and his hair clung to his face.

Kurogane rushed quickly to his side, his attention abandoning all of the mess and taking in the other's seemingly sleeping form. Fai was very pale, ghastly pale, but that much he had already expected. He knelt down beside Fai, took the other's body and leaned it against his chest. He touched his now sullen cheeks. They were cold. But he wasn't bothered. He knew that vampires were supposed to be cold by nature.

"Oi! Wake up!"

Fai did not stir.

"Oi! Fai!" He was starting to get agitated.

Fai opened one glassy, blue eye. For a moment, it seemed that Fai would leap and get away from Kurogane's hold on him, but all he did was groan and then he fell limp again.

He was too weak.

"Shit!" Kurogane exclaimed, and he immediately understood what had to be done. He lowered his head, tilting his neck in front of Fai's lips, so that all Fai should do was to sink his teeth and drink. But he felt Fai shy away from what he was offering.

"No."

"You idiot! Stop being so stubborn! You've been killing me for nine crappy days now!" Kurogane retorted, and it took every ounce of his self-control to not shake the already very weak vampire he was holding.

"Kurogane… please."

"Fai. Please."

Fai opened both of his eyes, and looked at Kurogane. His eyes were begging: 'please don't make me do this to you and to everybody else. Please let's not make this harder. Please don't do this for me.'

"Let's… please don't make this harder, Kurogane." Fai breathed.

"You're the one making this harder."

"One slip and I could make you a monster. Like I am now."

"I know. And I don't care. I'll deal with that when you're better."

Fai tried to get up, to get away from Kurogane's hold, but Kurogane held him tighter. Since Fai was too weak to even move, he remained there, stubbornly refusing Kurogane's help, dying by inches.

Kurogane still wouldn't let him.

"If I do this, you will know everything, Kurogane."

"All the better".

"If I do this, you'll have to promise to kill me."

"We'll deal with that later."

A sigh escaped Fai's pale lips. He knew Kurogane wouldn't stop and that this could go on forever. He was too weak to continue. He was very dizzy, and he didn't like the feeling. It was as if the world suddenly decided to turn completely upside down. It was a good thing that he hadn't had anything in the past nine days or else everything he had, his stomach would have upended.

"Fai."

He felt Kurogane's head touch his own, and the other's neck was so bare, and was being offered to him so freely that it made all his insides jerk. He wanted to push Kurogane away, but he felt Kurogane's hold on him tighten, and he was being pushed to drink, to take that little sip.

Yes, that was all he needed. A little sip.

He would take just what he needed. He wouldn't allow Kurogane to become a monster just because he couldn't control himself. He wouldn't ruin Kurogane's life.

Just a little sip. And when he felt better, he would flee again. He would leave all of these good people, because they didn't deserve a monster in their midst.

Yes, just a little sip.

Need won over reason, as Fai weakly sunk his fangs unto Kurogane's bare, pulsating neck.

**0o0o0o**

Kurogane closed his eyes as soon as he felt Fai's unnaturally cold lips touch his bare neck. He edged closer to the bed for support, lest he release Fai's body in the process.

He felt cold, sharp fangs break through his warm skin. And as quickly as it had come, he began seeing images that he was sure weren't his.

He would finally begin to understand.

Because he was now seeing Fai's memories.


	9. Sablier

**A/N: **Updates! I'd just like to warn you about the TRC protocol (Fai=Yuui thing), so as to avoid confusion. Anyway, the chapter you've all been waiting for! woohoo! I hope I don't disappoint you guys. Thanks for reading this far!

**0o0o0o**

An hourglass.

It is the first vivid image that Kurogane sees. It is up there, hovering about. It looks so near, so tangible. He could see the particles of sand inside the hourglass: steady, still, not moving. Curious, he tiptoes and reaches for it, assuming that with his height, it should be a cinch. He grabs for it, but realizes that despite it looking so tangible, it actually isn't. His hands merely claw the air that should have been the curve of the object. He curses, annoyed.

Where is he? When is he?

There is nothing but whiteness all around him. Just plain whiteness. For a moment, he forgets where he is supposed to be, until a sudden shake of the white ground upsets the hourglass, capsizing it. Every particle of sand begins to flow through the very little opening. He watches as the whiteness begins to vanish, and in its place, a new background takes over.

Suddenly, he is in a new place. The location is not very much different from where he was a moment ago, because this new place is still white. Snow, he realizes almost instantly. It is night, and it is snowing. There are trees that glint blue in the distance, and brick houses are scattered here and about. The place seems deserted. A ghost town? Or perhaps it might just be the late hour, depending on what the culture of this new place is. It amazes him, because even if he is inappropriately dressed for such weather, he doesn't feel cold at all. In fact, it feels as if he is not truly there, but just watching everything unfold before his eyes.

He hears noises: metals clashing, screams, scrunches of ice, footsteps. He runs towards the direction of the noises, his right hand automatically in a half grip for Souhi. He stops in his tracks because Souhi, or even her sheath, isn't there. Cursing, he continues and he feels his breathing stop when he sees something he isn't the least bit expecting.

"Hurry! The firewood, Yuui!"

Kurogane sees a thin, pale, young boy with short, blond hair. He holds a thin, silver sword in his right hand while the other hand is fanning the fire in front of him, as if wanting it to go up higher.

"No more, Fai! That's the last of it!"

Fai. An exact replica of the other. They are exactly alike in everything, except for the handling of the sword. This one holds his sword in his left hand.

Twins.

Kurogane's eyebrows furrow in confusion and frustration. Fai has a twin? He moves closer, trying to scrutinize every tiny difference that he can make out, if there is any at all. They are unmistakably the same, even in posture and movement. It is as if he is watching two mimes playing the mirror trick on him, except that apparently, they cannot see him. Even though he is just inches away from their faces, they act as if there is no intruder at all.

"Burn vampire, burn!" the left-handed twin chants.

Vampire slayers.

These young twins are vampire slayers.

Fai is a vampire slayer. Kurogane cannot contain a growl from coming out of his throat. That was why he could feel the vampires' presence then. All this time he had been protecting the idiot when all along, he was capable of protecting himself. That façade of innocence and ignorance… goddamnit, should he see Fai after this, he would definitely smash his face, weak or not. That goddamn idiot has played him for a fool all along, after all.

"The dance, Yuui! Come on!" the right-handed twin says to his brother.

"Uhmm, do we really have to do this stupid dance all the time, Fai?" the other says and immediately, Kurogane smirks despite his initial rage. Even at this age of about ten or eleven, Fai already has the markings of his future trademark stupidity. It is adorable to watch, in a way. Without even knowing it, the plan of smacking Fai's face is already forgotten.

So the idiot's stupidity is inborn, then.

"Of course, we do! The dance makes the fire go up, up, up to the sky!" Fai (the right-handed) says, motioning with his sword.

"It does not. I've researched it, and no book says a dance can actually make a fire go higher. Besides, the fire doesn't have to be high for the vampire's corpse to burn."

"Stop being so whiny, Yuui. Why can't we just dance?"

"Why, though? Why do we need to dance? I still can't see the point!"

"There is a point, just you see. If you dance with me now, and we complete a roundtrip around the bonfire, this shall be the highest fire in the entire universe!" Fai begins his so called dance which consisted of a few steps here and there around the fire.

"Why?"

"Because…"

Because why exactly, Kurogane doesn't hear anymore. The hourglass above him begins to move again, this time, the sand flowing faster. He tries to hold on to the image of the young twins who continue their discourse in the midst of the burning vampire: one dancing, another frowning in confusion.

Kurogane smiles at the ironically peaceful image. He smiles, and for the first time, he doesn't deny it to himself. He closes his eyes, and the next thing he knows, the landscape has changed again.

It is still the same place, but there is something different in the air. A heavy, disconcerting feeling floods Kurogane. Something is wrong with Fai.

"No, Yuui!"

"I am not leaving you, Fai. There are three of them. There are too many even for the both of us."

"But you're sick! You ought to stay home and rest until you get better!"

"No!"

"Go home now, or I'll make you!"

"No."

"Shit. They're here now. Stop being so stubborn! We have no time for this!"

Kurogane sneaks a quick glance above him, and he sees that there is more sand in the lower half of the hourglass now. Time is moving quickly. He doesn't know what the hourglass actually means, but every time it moves, something happens, something changes. He assumes that he has traveled a few years onwards, because judging by the looks of the twins, they are indeed older by three years or so.

However, this is no time to ponder on their appearances. Their conversation just now sounded ominous. They are in danger. One of them is sick, and that is always a bad omen in fighting.

"They are here." Yuui whispers behind his twin, pulling his sword as he prepares to make a stance.

"So is Ashura-ou, the ancient." Fai replies, mimicking his brother's actions.

"He's not with them, is he?"

"No. He is never with anyone. I think he's making a judgment of the vampires or something, if that-"

A sudden explosion stops Fai from finishing his response. A thick blanket of smoke and fog suddenly envelops the place, hurting their eyes and making it impossible to see. Kurogane just stands there, flabbergasted at what just happened. Even he, with all of his heightened senses was not able to detect where the sudden attack came from. What more could he expect from these kids? He whirls his neck around, and begins searching for the twins. Even though he wasn't able to follow what happened next, he knows that surely, one of the twins must have been wounded.

"Fai? Yuui?" he shouts, and that last name feels awkward on his lips.

"Yuui? Yuui?!" he hears Fai mimic his call.

"I'm…. okay. Are you? Fai?" a soft, distant voice replies. Kurogane sees Fai walk despite the thick fog towards the direction of his brother's voice, his left hand in a defensive shield over his head, his right arm extended, holding his sword out.

"Yes! Don't move a muscle, I'll be there!" Fai replies as he continues feeling his way through the fog with his sword.

"No, Fai! Don't come here! Go away!" Yuui replies in a hoarse voice, quickly followed by a cough.

"Yuui!" Fai, as expected, rushes towards his brother. The sight that greets him almost makes his tight grip on the sword loosen. His twin is lying on the ground and his face is pinned to the pavement by a vampire. Two others are standing behind them casually. By their stance, it is evident that the vampires are underestimating the children.

"Fai, go away. Please!" Yuui pleads, and the vampire steps on his face harder, almost crushing his fragile neck into the ground. Yuui's body is already bleeding and his left arm doesn't seem to be in the right place; by one quick glance, it is easy to tell that it is broken. Kurogane and Fai both see the blood as it begins to seep from Yuui's head.

Wrong move, Kurogane thinks, as he clenches and unclenches his fists. Reverse psychology is very effective especially in times like these. He remembers being in a very similar situation not so long ago, when he had seen Fai with that Ashura. Hadn't the idiot said the exact thing this boy was saying now? Run. This is the second time he had seen Fai in such a situation and still, he cannot do anything. All he can do is stand there stupidly. Kurogane bites his lips.

Fai screams, holds his sword in both his hands and begins to charge towards the vampire who is crunching his twin to the ground. No one will be allowed to hurt his brother; he had sworn upon that the very day their parents died. He will fight as long as his brother remains with him. "No, stop it! They are not ordinary, Fai! They belong to the gifted!"

But Fai doesn't stop. He charges with both his hands on his sword; all thoughts on the offensive, leaving nothing for the defensive. There is rage burning in his eyes, and even though he doesn't speak, his eyes speak for him.

_Let go of him!_

"No, Fai!"

Kurogane dashes forward and reaches out to hold the enraged twin back. But his efforts prove to be futile; as was before, he cannot be seen. He cannot touch them. He is but a mere intruder into Fai's memories; he can do nothing but watch. So he stands there, watching everything unfold. Watching as the two vampires standing in the back vanish in a flash, and attack the young boy from above. Watching as they bite Fai on both sides of the neck, as the other twin continues to scream and bleed from the wound inflicted on him. And watching, just watching, as the enraged twin's sword fall from his hands, clattering to the pavement. Soon after, Fai collapses.

"Enough. They are children, they are merely toys," the vampire pinning Yuui to the ground says, and he finally lets the child go. Yuui begins to crawl towards his brother.

"But have we played enough? There's another one left." Another says with his hands on his hips.

"Hush. Let's give him time to grieve. In the meantime, let's find some more toys to play with." With that said, all three vampires vanish together.

"Fai?" Yuui's soft voice resonates throughout the place.

Kurogane swallows a gulp back. He doesn't like what he is seeing. Looking around, he sees that the snow is smeared red with both of the twins' blood. The smell is suffocating.

"Fai," Yuui whispers, and he crawls faster, dragging his broken left arm behind him, his face not showing any pain at all. He reaches Fai and begins to lift his body from the ground, but fails to do so because of his broken left arm. He hears his twin groan in pain.

The venom must be spreading now, Kurogane thinks. He remembers the duration of time in which Fai suffered, confining himself for nine whole days. If it took Fai that long, then could this kid actually take it? Besides, he was bitten by two gifted vampires. Their venom must be more excruciating than the normal ones.

"Fai? I'm here. I'll take you home." Yuui whispers, finally giving up on raising his brother's body and settling on laying his head on his twin's shoulder.

"No… you go home. It's cold, Yuui," Fai whispers almost inaudibly, his body immobile, his face turning a shade paler and his face twisted in pain.

"We're going home together. We always go home together, don't we, Fai?"

Yuui buries his head in the other's shoulder. There are teardrops now, Kurogane notices.

"Yuui?"

"Fai."

"Don't ever let me be a vampire. If… if ever I become one… would you promise…"

"No!" Yuui screams in Fai's ears. Fai remains immobile.

"You must. We promised… our parents… didn't we?" Fai whispers in Yuui's ears. He moves his head to look at his brother, and with that small movement, his neck begins to bleed.

"No. I don't care about the promise. I don't care about anything anymore!"

"Kill me please, Yuui. I don't want… to be a monster. I'd... I'd just hate myself... if I live anyway. Kill… me." Fai says resolutely. Yuui just stares at him.

Yuui understands why his brother wishes for things to go this way. He remembers the promise they made to their parents. He knows how much Fai, the vampire slayer and the vampire hater, would despise himself if he ever becomes one of the filthy creatures he despises the most. He loves his brother. He doesn't want to kill him. He is the only reason why he lives, why he keeps on fighting. But, if letting him live will cause him more pain, then he will do as he wishes.

"After you stab me… do the dance. Okay?" Fai says for the last time before his eyes close and he falls limp.

Tears fall from Yuui's eyes as he smiles. The dance is one thing he still cannot promise.

He picks up his brother's fallen sword in his right hand, and unsteadily raises his hand. He quickly lowers it to stab Fai, closing his eyes in the process. Suddenly, someone stops him, holding his hand and preventing the sword from killing his already suffering twin.

"You do not have to kill him. There is something I can do." A smooth, low voice manifests behind him and turning his head to look at his savior, he recognizes him as Ashura, the ancient.

Kurogane looks at Ashura. He looks exactly like the same Ashura he had seen with Fai. And despite his hatred for the said vampire, he couldn't help but be thankful for the help he is offering right now.

"There is no way to save him but to make him a vampire," he continues when he sees that the child has no plans of asking.

"But he doesn't want to be one of you."

"I know. Who does?" Ashura smiles that wicked, sincere smile. Yuui frowns at him in confusion.

"So what's your point?" Yuui asks him.

"I cannot prevent him from being a vampire. But, I can take away his memories if I want to. That is my gift. He will not despise himself so much if he doesn't remember what his past life has been like."

Yuui lowers the sword on the bloody ground. That would be against Fai's wishes, wouldn't it? But anything, _anything_ is better than having to kill him. If Fai could live without his memories, then there would be no reason for him to hate himself. He has no assurance that his brother would live forever. That vampires are immortal is just a mere legend. But anything would be better than having him die now. And he knows Ashura-ou doesn't lie. Everyone says Ashura-ou never lied when he was alive.

"Okay. Do anything. Just please… save him."

"You're okay with this even if he forgets you?" Ashura asks him.

"Anything." Yuui replies.

_Yes. Anything to save Fai._

"There is a price," Ashura informs him, sitting on the cold, snowy ground beside Yuui. He lifts Fai's almost frozen body up towards his chest.

"I know. Like I said, anything." Yuui replies, and he looks at Ashura with such determination and pleading that Ashura doesn't speak anymore.

Yuui watches as Ashura kisses his twin's neck. For a moment, he is worried when his brother begins to jerk, but as soon as it came, Fai is relaxed again. Ashura stands up, wipes his lips with his hand and offers it to Yuui.

Yuui takes his hand.

He had just made a deal with a vampire.

Anything at all to save his brother.

"You owe me. But I won't ask for your debt now. You may run; you may hide all you want. I'll catch up with you in due time."

"Thank you, Ashura-ou." Yuui replies weakly.

Kurogane looks at the child. He looks so very, very tired now.

"Your name?" Ashura asks. Yuui looks at him. Then he looks at his brother as if looking at him for the last time.

"Fai."

The ground shakes again as the sand from the hourglass flows faster. Kurogane reaches out to touch the boy whom he sees walking off in the distance: his head bowed low, his broken left arm dragging, his footsteps slow. As the background around him melts, he sees the fog clear and the snow continue to fall, as if nothing life- changing has just happened.

Suddenly, the sand inside the hourglass stops flowing. Around him are flashes of dozens and dozens of images, all of them portraying the idiot traveling somewhere, getting beaten up or unconscious in drunkenness. At one point, he sees himself with Syaoran on the night they had first seen him. Events that occurred after that first meeting continue to flash so quickly that they are almost blurred.

Curiously though, the sand inside the hourglass remains still. The hourglass has stopped working. He reaches out to touch it again, to will it to flow, and just when he is about to touch it, darkness envelops him. The next thing he knows, he is light headed with dizziness.

**0o0o0o **

"Kurogane? Are you okay?" The idiot's voice resonated in his ears, and he fought with his remaining strength to remain conscious.

"Had I taken too much? Oh God. Kurogane, answer me!"

"Shut up! And quit fussing. I'm alright." He moved to drive his point, and as he did so, his hand landed on Fai's hand. He took it. The other didn't move.

Kurogane opened his eyes. Thank heavens that the room was dim, although it was still day. He scratched his head with his free hand. He had almost forgotten that he had never really left the room physically. He looked at Fai who was sitting beside him, his face contorted with worry.

"Are you feeling better now? You still look pale."

Fai shook his head in response. He moved closer to Kurogane and buried his face in his shoulder.

Kurogane tightened his hold on Fai's hand as he leaned his head on the wall behind him. He knew Fai wouldn't want to talk about the memories he had just seen; that was the reason why he wasn't even looking at him. Even now, Fai's wounds were raw. Just talking about it would hurt him.

He knew that Fai blamed himself for everything that happened to his brother. He blamed himself because he was weak, because he needed to be protected. But it wasn't the case; nothing was his fault. It was just some sort of an odd game of destiny that chose Fai as the "It." He just had to maneuver the game in his own way. It was amazing, really, when one would compare the old Yuui to this Fai. It was as if this Fai had embodied his brother in every way and had buried his real self under the snow.

He never knew that Fai hurt this goddamn much. He thought that once he understood, everything would be easier. He was wrong, because at the same time, it hurt him to think that there was nothing he could do to make him heal. All he could do was be there for him, which would be until the day he dies. He had felt this way before, and he knew it wouldn't change: If Fai were to die, then he would die with him.

Sleep was claiming him again. He felt his eyes grow heavy, and as he closed them, he felt Fai's soft breathing on his shoulder; he was already asleep. Despite the weight of everything he had learned today, he smiled, before he finally surrendered to exhaustion.

Although Fai's memories of meeting him belonged to those uncertain flashes of blur, that same night was the ending of the blurs in Kurogane's life.

Ironic as it may seem, while little Yuui's hourglass remained still; his own hourglass had just begun working.


	10. Noveau

He needed to leave.

There was no way he was staying here; not after all that had happened. It wasn't because he wanted to, God no. If he had a choice, then he would never think of leaving this cottage and all its heaven-sent inhabitants. After all, it wasn't everyday that broken drunks like him would wander around at night and instantly get themselves a family, and he was far more grateful than mere words could ever express. But he had no choice. Staying would mean hurting them all over again. Staying would mean seeing Sakura's sunshine smile, Syaoran's unwavering determination to help, Tomoyo-hime's unrelenting understanding and Kurogane's… well, Kurogane's everything. He knew that he didn't deserve their attention. After all, what had he done in exchange for everything they had given him? Nothing. Nothing but give them trouble and pain and suffering. Worst of all, he understood how much of a danger he became to them. There was no choice. He needed to leave.

His cat-like eyes stared intently at the floor. A single window was open, allowing the moon's light to enter the room in a single ray, casting a penumbra on the floor and catching the vampire's eyes. Apart from that almost non-existent source of light, his room (once Tomoyo-hime's room) was completely shrouded in darkness. Ever since he first drank Kurogane's blood, he decided it would be too much… too constricting, too suffocating to share the old room with him, especially since Kurogane knew everything now. He knew everything now, perhaps understood everything, that just being with him in the same room made Fai feel as if he were standing nude in front of him. No masks, no covers, just bare. And that was something he could never get used to. He had taken to sleeping outside so that Tomoyo-hime could have her room back, but everyone in the household protested, resulting in Kurogane literally dragging him back inside. 'No, you can't stay outside because of this and that.' But he knew with a single look what they really meant. They were afraid that he would go.

Ironic, he mused as he tore his gaze from the floor. What to do, then? Emotional pain is just as hard to deal with as physical pain, at times, even harder. He didn't want to inflict either. He didn't want to hurt them at all. Was there even a way out of this? Dying was not even an option right now. He knew he would be tracked, and Ashura-ou already knew by now with whom he was living. Dying was not an option, not yet. At first, he had wanted to, despite knowing from years before that this encounter with Ashura-ou was exactly what was waiting for him when he made the deal. But there were the others now. There were people to protect. But maybe, if he explained everything thoroughly, they might just listen to why he needed to go.

The door opened, breaking both Fai's reverie and the poignant silence that enveloped the room. He knew at once who came in just by the footsteps.

"Drink."

Here we go again.

For the past month since the incident, Kurogane had taken it upon himself to be responsible for Fai's every need, including his feeding. There was no choice but to offer his own blood, because the idiot was far too rigid and too idealistic to hunt for his prey. Kurogane had no qualms about his responsibility. He had accepted it the very instant he understood what the idiot had become. He wasn't bothered by anything anymore, and not even the old hatred resurfaced. All that mattered now was Fai.

"How many days has it been?" came the vampire's smooth voice.

"Five. If you don't drink now, Tomoyo-hime will worry if you collapse again."

Sighing, Fai stood and walked closer to Kurogane who was then standing by the window. Resistance was so much harder these days, what with Kurogane's persistence and his own need.

His shadow temporarily blocking the moon's reflection on the floor, he inched closer, closer, to Kurogane until their bodies touched. His right hand held Kurogane's face tenderly, as his other hand placed itself on Kurogane's shoulder. Kurogane, in return, bent his head low so that the other could reach him. Sinking his fangs into the taller slayer's neck, he felt the pulse with every sip, felt the warmth that emanated within his body, and felt the life envelop his being. Kurogane was warm, too warm, and he felt everything surge at once as soon as the blood touched his lips. He closed his eyes as he succumbed to the sensation that feeding gave and sinking his fangs a little deeper, he felt Kurogane's head rest on his shoulder, his hand holding unto the thin fabric that was Fai's tunic.

More. He needed more.

He needed blood, warmth, life, Kurogane…

Kurogane's head shot up as he felt Fai break away from him, quickly wiping the blood that still trailed from his lips. His eyebrows furrowed at the sudden movement, and Fai turned his back to him.

"Don't tell me that's it. That's barely even enough." Kurogane reprimanded.

"I…"

"You what?"

Fai faced him, his face totally shadowed that Kurogane found it hard to read his eyes. Eyebrows furrowing even more, Kurogane closed the gap between them so that he was towering over Fai.

"I could have taken too much if I continued. I could have killed you."

"You've been drinking from me for a while now and you haven't done me any harm. You know that will never happen."

"Who says so?"

"I say so."

Silence.

"How come I am still not a vampire even if you drink from me?" The question was sudden, as if betraying Kurogane's thoughts. He had been banking on it the first time he gave Fai his blood, but so far nothing has happened.

"Because I do not want you to be one."

"It is a choice?"

"Yes."

Something was odd today, Kurogane thought. It amused him though, that Fai was actually answering his questions.

"Why do you keep lying to me?"

"I do not lie to you, Kurogane."

"Then what are you doing? I can't pretend anymore, Yuui."

"Omission does not equate lying, Kurogane."

Annoyed by the answer, Kurogane gripped Fai's arm tightly. Knowing things without talking about them was futile. He wanted to understand.

"Why did you make that deal with Ashura?"

"You saw it. I needed to save Fai. I was tired. I didn't want to fight anymore."

"Why do you have to keep playing the martyr, you idiot?!"

"I don't want to fight anymore."

That was right, Kurogane knew it all along. But having Fai admit what was true was altogether a different thing. He released his grip on the other gently. Having this conversation, having him answer all the things Kurogane wanted to know despite his answers' ambiguity, Kurogane believed that something could change. Fai could trust him now.

"I have to leave Kurogane."

"Like hell."

Fai sighed. Was there even a point in talking to him? He walked closer to the windows and opened them one by one. There was a fireworks display outside. He had almost forgotten that it was New Year's Eve. New Year's. So much had changed in just a year.

"I need to. Ashura-ou will come back to claim me. My absence will keep you all safe."

"No, he won't."

"He won't what?"

"Come back to claim you."

"But he will. The deal, remember?"

Kurogane stepped forward, stopping close enough to stand by Fai's side.

"I don't care about the damn deal. I'll break it for all it's worth. No one will claim you because you're mine alone."

For a whole minute or so, neither spoke. Only the fireworks' noises outside and the others' cheers of celebration from the dining room broke the otherwise utter silence.

"Kuro-sama?" Fai whispered, a hint of mischief bordering his smile.

"Hmmm."

"I love you."

A silent grunt came as a reply. Fai smiled; he knew what that meant of course. Typical Kuro-sama.

"Idiot."

A huge, warm hand groped for a slender, colder one in the darkness. Finding it, the large hand took it in his, intertwining their fingers, locking them tightly together.

It fitted there perfectly.

**A/N: **Woooh. How was everyone's New Year? This was supposed to be a New Year's fic (really!), but it came out a few days late. Honestly though, I am now having a hard time with this fic. It's turning out to be longer than I planned it to be. And errr.. I don't know. Comments, guys! They really help. 


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